Recently, Congress offered a Bill that promotes the expanded use of Telehealth among Accountable Care Organizations (or ACO); this is great news considering that this has been a debatable issue for some time now. The Act, according the Bill can be referred to as the “ACO Improvement Act of 2014”, if passed, the bill would foster the growth of Federal support and expenditures for national Telehealth and Telemedicine services, resulting in a more compatible and convenient form of health care for individuals, in some cases, even helping to save lives.
What Is Telehealth?
Telehealth is an expansion of Telemedicine, both are terms developed to describe the telecommunication technology that is utilized by health care providers, in order to facilitate the interaction with patients and assist in patient care management, within the scope and practice of Remote Health Care. This can be the utilization of teleconferening, where one patient provider communicates remotely with another patient provider, or more advanced options such as online voice or video communication. In addition, patients and providers can interact with each other using these cutting edge options, without ever leaving the comfort and security of your home or office.
Saving on Cost and Time with Telehealth and Telemedicine
Imagine never having to step into an office during low temperature months or scorching hot summer days, when your ailment is at its worse, or never having to take a day off of work and losing a days pay. With the convenience of Telemedicine and Telehealth, these advanced health care options and technologies can save you time and money. Some patients simply have an aversion to doctors offices or hospitals, that’s okay too. Telehealth and Telemedicine is fantastic for those that would normally not seek out medical help or are just unable to access proper care locally.
Cutting Edge Health Care
Telemedicine which is more curative in nature; focusing on specialties such as: General Health Care, Telenursing, Telepharmacy and Emergency Telemedicine. In addition, Telemedicine has been integrated within Telerehailitation, Telecardiology and Teletrauma Care, as well as Teleradiology, Telepsychiatry, Teledentisty and Telepathology. That’s not all, incorporation of Telemedicine has been instrumental for providers of Teledermatology, Teleopthamology and Teleaudiology, and has also been used for critical life saving and emergency medical care.
Telehealth envelops promotive, preventative, as well as curative elements within health care; Telehealth has come a long way in recent years, stressing innumerable technological components, from emailing between doctors and patients, to the submission of prescription drugs to pharmaceutical providers and a myriad of other patient solutions. Providers have the capability to monitor the condition of their patients who are either home-bound or do not have the luxury of taking time off from work or other responsibilities. Additionally, doctors all over the globe have the ability to assist each other in ground breaking procedures and surgeries remotely through the use of Telehealth Technology.
Going Hi-Tech
Should the ACO Improvement Act of 2014 pass, providers can deliver the same high quality and caliber of care to their patients, that is already afforded to those who are physically seen at health care facilities. Providers will begin, on a much larger scale, to treat patients more effectively and soundly by eliminating all of the costs associated with unnecessary testing and procedures. No only will this Act cut costs and save time, providers can focus on the advancement of curative and preventative medicine and measures, as well as focus on discovering new methods of treatment and care, this will benefit the patients and not the bottom line. All of this can be done with mobile devices that monitor vital signs during the management of treatment, resulting in the elimination of unnecessary travels, cost cutting and financial savings for patients.